"Virus Hoax:
Malicious Code Example"

 

Virus Hoax Warnings: Page 4 of 39

Good Times Virus Hoax

    The "Good Times" virus warnings are a hoax. There is no virus by
    that name in existence today. These warnings have been circulating
    the Internet for years. The user community must become aware that it
    is unlikely that a virus can be constructed to behave in the manner
    ascribed in the "Good Times" virus warning.

    CIAC first described the Good Times Hoax in CIAC NOTES 94-04c
    released in December 1994 and described it again in CIAC NOTES 95-09
    in April 1995. More information is in the Good_Times FAQ
    (http://www.public.usit.net/lesjones/goodtimes.html) written by Les
    Jones.

    The original "Good Times" message that was posted and circulated in
    November and December of 1994 contained the following warning: Here
    is some important information. Beware of a file called Goodtimes.
    Happy Chanukah everyone, and be careful out there. There is a virus
    on America Online being sent by E-Mail. If you get anything called
    "Good Times", DON'T read it or download it. It is a virus that will
    erase your hard drive. Forward this to all your friends. It may help
    them a lot.


    Soon after the release of CIAC NOTES 04, another "Good Times"
    message was circulated. This is the same message that is being
    circulated during this recent "Good Times" rebirth. This message
    includes a claim that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
    released a warning about the danger of the "Good Times" virus, but
    the FCC did not and will not ever issue a virus warning. It is not
    their job to do so. See the FCC Public Notice 5036. The following is
    the expanded "Good Times" hoax message: The FCC released a warning
    last Wednesday concerning a matter of major importance to any
    regular user of the InterNet.  Apparently, a new computer virus has
    been engineered by a user of America Online that is unparalleled in
    its destructive capability.  Other, more well-known viruses such as
    Stoned, Airwolf, and Michaelangelo pale in comparison to the
    prospects of this newest creation by a warped mentality.

    What makes this virus so terrifying, said the FCC, is the fact that
    no program needs to be exchanged for a new computer to be infected.
    It can be spread through the existing e-mail systems of the
    InterNet. Once a computer is infected, one of several things can
    happen.  If the computer contains a hard drive, that will most
    likely be destroyed. If the program is not stopped, the computer's
    processor will be placed in an nth-complexity infinite binary loop -
    which can severely damage the processor if left running that way too
    long.     Unfortunately, most novice computer users will not realize
    what is happening until it is far     too late.

4 of 39 pages.
Go to page:

Copyright 2004 by Jay Jennings